The Rangers had this one in hand for most of the night. Then the ninth turned ugly, and a shot at a sweep disappeared with it.
Texas carried a 3-0 lead deep into the game and still led 3-1 in the eighth before asking Jacob Latz for six outs after Jakob “Judas” Junis let two reach to open the inning. Latz, who has been nearly automatic in those spots all season, couldn’t finish the job this time. Trevor Story, the local kid, hit a three-run homer that wiped out the Rangers’ lead and sent Boston to a 4-3 win.
It was the kind of loss that lands hard because of what was on the line. A win would have given Texas a sweep and pushed the club back above .500 for the first time since early August. Instead, the Rangers are left back where they’ve been hovering, essentially two games behind Houston in the AL West.
Cody Bradford gave Texas a strong foundation before the bullpen unraveled. Working with an opener and then handling the bulk of the night, Bradford threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the AL’s top Wild Card team. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out three.
The Rangers had been considering Nathan Eovaldi for Bradford’s rotation spot, but after Eovaldi’s relief work last night, Bradford got the nod again and delivered before the late collapse changed everything.
Texas moves on quickly, with a tough matchup waiting next. The Rangers open a series against Toronto with RHP Kumar Rocker expected to start against RHP Dylan Cease.
In Other News...
Two Former Rangers Could Give Texas A Huge Weekend Boost
Two familiar arms are lined up to matter in a race Texas is watching closely from afar. Tyler Mahle and Martin Perez, both former Rangers pitchers, are scheduled to start for the Braves in upcoming games against the Astros, giving the weekend a little extra relevance for a club still trying to stay in the thick of the AL West picture.
Mahle and Perez each had successful stretches in Texas before moving on, and both are now part of Atlantas rotation. If they can help slow Houston, it could create a small but meaningful opening for the Rangers in the division race, the kind of indirect boost that does not show up in the standings right away but can still be felt once the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Have One Clear Edge In This Tight Division Race
With the race tightening down the stretch, the Rangers have at least one obvious place to lean: Globe Life Field. Texas enters the final push in second place, one game behind Houston, and the path is still there if it can keep turning its home park into an advantage. Manager Skip Schumaker has sounded cautiously optimistic, pointing to the clubs stronger work at home and the kind of contributions he has gotten from players like Josh Jung and Nathan Eovaldi.
The schedule only adds to the sense that this thing is far from over. Seven of Texas last 10 games are at home, and those matchups come against teams with losing records, giving the Rangers a real chance to make up ground without needing help elsewhere. The question now is whether they can actually cash in on that setup and turn a promising position into something more secure before the division race slips away. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Prospect Depth Might Be Better Than Fans Realize
The Rangers have spent the past few years showing they can still find and nurture upside on the international market, and Sebastian Walcott is the clearest proof. Signed as the clubs top international prospect in 2023, he got a showcase spot in the 2024 MLB Futures Game and has already pushed himself into the conversation for a possible big league arrival next season, even while working through a UCL injury.
Hector Osorio is another reason to think the pipeline may be deeper than it looks from the outside. Signed in 2022 for just $47,500, he has taken a notable step forward in 2026 with stronger offensive production and improved plate discipline, the kind of progress that can turn a lower-profile signing into a real name to watch by 2027. For a Rangers organization trying to keep talent flowing at every level, those two developments suggest there may be more coming than fans realize. [Read more 🡒]